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Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology

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Open Access 01-09-2020 | Autopsy | Case Report

Death scene investigation and autopsy proceedings in identifying the victims of the terror attack on the Breitscheidplatz in Berlin 19^th December 2016

Authors: Claas Buschmann, Sven Hartwig, Michael Tsokos, Lars Oesterhelweg

Published in: Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology | Issue 3/2020

Abstract

We describe and discuss the forensic mission after the terrorist attack on the Breitscheidplatz in Berlin on 19th December 2016, focusing on co-operation with police authorities, and the injury patterns of the deceased. Even after massive blunt trauma, severe injury patterns are often unrecognizable by visual inspection of the body (“Casper’s sign”), which could instill false security among rescuers or, as happened on the Breitscheidplatz, may lead to distress or even trauma in rescue personnel when obviously primarily uninjured patients die suddenly.

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Title: Death scene investigation and autopsy proceedings in identifying the victims of the terror attack on the Breitscheidplatz in Berlin 19th December 2016
Authors: Claas Buschmann
Sven Hartwig
Michael Tsokos
Lars Oesterhelweg
Publication date: 01-09-2020
Publisher: Springer US
Keyword: Autopsy
Published in: Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology / Issue 3/2020
Print ISSN: 1547-769X
Electronic ISSN: 1556-2891
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-020-00277-6

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Death scene investigation and autopsy proceedings in identifying the victims of the terror attack on the Breitscheidplatz in Berlin 19^th December 2016

Abstract

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Abstract

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